HARRISBURG (May 16, 2017) — The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) has presented awards that recognize outstanding leadership in the legal profession and extraordinary service and longstanding membership in the association.

PBA Special Achievement Awards recognize those lawyers and individuals who have provided time and resources to improve the association and the legal profession. The President’s Awards, bestowed at the discretion of 2016-17 PBA President Sara A. Austin, recognize extraordinary commitment to the association. PBA Fifty-Year Member Awards recognize lawyers who have been association members for five decades.

The awards were presented on May 12 during the association’s Annual Meeting at the Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County

Carol A. Behers, Raphael Ramsden & Behers PC, Pittsburgh: PBA Special Achievement Award — for progress made as co-chair of the PBA Family Law Section developing legislation that would reduce the waiting time for divorce in Pennsylvania.

Samuel W. Braver,Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC,Pittsburgh: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.

Andrea Geraghty, Meyer Unkovic & Scott LLP, Pittsburgh: PBA Special Achievement Award — for her dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.

Pamela K. Kance, Harrisburg: PBA President’s Award — for her outstanding commitment and dedicated service to the PBA as section relations coordinator.

Herbert R. Nurick, Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award

Delaware County

Allen Edwin Amgott, Havertown: Fifty-Year Member Award

Carmen P. Belefonte, Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett & Bendesky PC, Media: PBA Special Achievement Award — for dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.

Melinda C. Ghilardi, Federal Public Defenders Office, Scranton: PBA President’s Award — for her outstanding leadership, professionalism and dedication to the PBA Bar Leadership Institute, the PBA Federal Practice Committee, the PBA Diversity Team and the Commission on Women in the Profession.

Richard T. Mulcahey, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award

Judge James M. Munley, U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award

David E. Schwager, Chariton Schwager & Malak, Wilkes-Barre: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his leadership as chair of the PBA Planning Committee in the development of a strategic plan for the association.

Linda F. Berman, Linda F. Berman Attorney at Law, King of Prussia: PBA Special Achievement Award —for dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission

Mary Cushing Doherty, High Swartz LLP, Norristown: PBA Special Achievement Award — for progress made as co-chair of the PBA Family Law Section developing legislation that would reduce the waiting time for divorce in Pennsylvania.

Robert F. Morris, Morris Wilson PC, Plymouth Meeting: PBA President’s Award — for the high level of professionalism, dedication, and commitment that he demonstrated as chair of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.

Michael Churchill, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award

William H. Clark Jr., Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his leadership in evaluating and drafting amendments to Title 15, the short title for the Pennsylvania Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Law, through the PBA Business Law Section Title 15 Committee.

Jennifer S. Coatsworth, Margolis Edelstein, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for the enthusiasm and professionalism she brings to her involvement with several committees and sections of the PBA.

Michael B. Lee, Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his work as managing attorney of the Criminal Record Expungement Project, where he trains pro bono attorneys, organizes community education events and argues expungement and redaction petitions.

Mary E. Schellhammer, Somerset: PBA President’s Award — for her dedication and outstanding leadership of several sections of the PBA, as well as her commitment to building a relationship between the Somerset County bar and the PBA.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.